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Unnatural Disasters
"Unnatural Disasters" is the fourth episode of the third season and the twentieth overall episode of the HBO television series Oz. Plot Narrations Then the Lord said: "I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cries because of their taskmasters. I know their suffering and have come down to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians. And to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land. A land flowing with milk and honey." Yeah. God sends Moses to be the deliverer, then throws a curve-ball. God hardens Pharoh's heart, so Pharoh won't let the Israelites go. "Moses, set my people free. Pharaoh, keep them captive." Hey, God. Whose side are you on? Plague. God plagued the mighty Pharaoh for not letting the Israelites go. God smites Pharaoh with the first of 10 disasters. One morning, old boy Pharaoh strolls down to the beach, you know, for a swim. For, for a tan, something. He goes down, checks it. Oh! And all the water in the Nile has turned to blood. Why? That's what Pharaoh's asking himself. Why is there blood in the Nile? He asks his priests and his soothsayers, but before they can figure it out, swarms of frogs hop out of the water and into the Egyptians' homes. Into their beds and bathtubs and mixing bowls. Pharaoh says, "Enough. The Israelites can get the fuck out." "Yippee!" says Moses. And then, God hardens Pharaoh's heart again. At the last minute, Pharaoh decides the Israelites can't leave. Suddenly, the dust of Egypt turns to gnats and flies. Imagine: Your house, your office, your whole city filled with flies. Imagine the noise, all the buzzing in your head, and bug spray won't be invented for 4,000 years yet. Prisoner number 98C931, Jason Cramer. Convicted September 6, '98. Murder in the first degree, kidnapping, assault with a dangerous instrument. Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Darkness. For 3 days straight, only darkness. Think of it. Sitting in your house for 3 days. No lights, no TVs, not even the flashlight you keep for blackouts. Pharaoh, just sitting there on his throne, in the dark, wondering when it's all going to end. All because of God. Doesn't make sense, does it? Pharaoh taking the blame for what God was going to do anyway. Fuck yeah, it makes sense. Pharaohs brought it on themselves and their people. 430 years, the Israelites were slaves. One Pharaoh after another. No one gets away with that. Dead or alive. The last plague is the worst one. That's the one that messes up our ideas about a loving god. All the first born in the land of Egypt killed on one night when everyone's asleep. You the oldest child in the family? Would have been you. No questions asked. Pharaoh's son dies too. His heir. His pride and joy. His sweet, innocent little boy. You reap what you sow. Pharaoh got what he deserved. But what about Abdul the farmer who woke up with frogs on his face, his cattle dead from anthrax, his wife fucked up with lesions, his only child dead, all because of a leader he didn't even get to vote for? What about all the people who reap what they don't sow? Babies born addicted to crack, 4-year-olds molested, ethnic cleansing? What about you? Is there a law in the universe or something, a law about needless suffering? A law that even God can't break? Moses finally got the chosen people to the Promised Land. Things didn't really get any better. They were constantly at war. With the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Jebusites. Eventually the Israelites were completely crushed by the Romans. The suffering continues, which leads me to wonder, is there too much suffering in the world? Fuck the world. Here in Oz, there's too much suffering even for a guilty man to endure. Deceased Unnamed- (flashback) Decapitated off-screen by [[Jason Cramer|'Jason Cramer']] [[Richie Hanlon|'Richie Hanlon']]- Neck slashed by [[Nikolai Stanislofsky|'Nikolai Stanislofsky']] Crime flashbacks '''Jason Cramer: '''Murder in the first degree, kidnapping, assault with a dangerous instrument. Category:Episodes Category:Season 3 episodes